The home at 215 Lowell Ave. in Palo Alto is a classic design that might be found in Savannah or the Hamptons. The partial brick facade, forest green shutters and paned windows reflect a classical elegance commonly associated with the East Coast or plantation homes. But this $23 million estate is distinctly Californian.

While many original finishes still adorn the Georgian home's interior, this seven-bedroom mansion has 21st century amenities you'd expect to find in a home ensconced in Silicon Valley.

Soundproof insulation and windows dampen noise. A home theater boasts blackout shades and surround sound, while virtually every one of the home's 17 rooms has its own air handler to keep temperatures in check.

Luxuries and technical features abound in the home, said Derk Brill of Alain Pinel Realtors.

The home opens to a marble entryway and gallery highlighted by Corinthian columns and arches. A sky-blue ceiling painted with wisps of white separates a series of chandeliers leading down the hallway.

Immediately to the left is the music room, which boasts a piece of artwork dating back to the original construction, and the living room, which looks out at the front of the .86-acre lot. It is one of the largest available in Palo Alto.

Besides being aesthetically pleasing because of its hardwood moldings and cabinets fashioned from knotted wood, the kitchen is ergonomically designed. Retractable kick plates under the cabinets electronically extend out to provide a height boost in the kitchen. The seller's wife is a little more than five feet tall, and she needed a few extra inches to comfortably prepare dishes at the counter, Brill said, so the amenity was added to benefit her.

The upper level houses the master suite, which is separated from four additional bedrooms on the floor by a long hallway. The master suite has dual walk-in closets and bay windows, while its bathroom boasts a jetted tub and marble vanities on opposite sides of the room from each other.

The lowest level includes a billiards room and wine storage space, and a one-bedroom guest house above the garage includes a kitchen and bathroom.

Upon moving into the home roughly 15 years ago, the sellers began an exhaustive remodel, Brill said.

"Only one bathroom and an office were untouched," he said.

But despite updating the wiring, installing soundproof windows, adding a spa and new plumbing to the pool, and installing a marble entryway, many of the home's original designs still remain.

An artistic landscape painted into the wall of the music room was left alone, as were the carvings in the wood-burning fireplace below it.

It was originally a brick farmhouse facing Lowell Avenue. The second owner increased the size of the lot and brought trees and shrubs from around the world. It was during this time the pool was installed; Brill suspects that it was the first in Palo Alto.

Additions were built in 1945 and '48, Staiger said. At one time, Brill said, the garage housed a small-scale cannery with a guest house perched on top of it. An office building and ballroom were among the additions.

A second level was added years before the current owners moved in.

Like any mansion, this one includes hidden passageways and rooms.

"(The current owners) have been known to invite guests over and play a game with them called 'Find the Hidden Rooms,' " Brill said.

Though a layout of the home is available on Alain Pinel's website, the additional spaces are not included in the renderings.

Although the sellers shy away from referring to the spaces as panic rooms they feature double-doors that lock from inside and their own lighting and phones.

Another one is diminutive and designed for children, or could serve as a storage space.

"The owner jokes it's good he's not senile, because he may forget things in there because they are so hard to find," Brill said.

Being sensitive to noise, the owners chose the lot because it is set back off the avenue. It was only after they moved in that they realized trains frequently pass by the home.

"They said it sounded like the train was running right through the master bedroom," Brill said.

To combat the noise, soundproof windows and sound dampening insulation was installed.

With 17 rooms, the home can easily accommodate a family of four or five who like to entertain. Fundraisers and parties with 150 guests have regularly been held at the home, Brill said, and the additional bedrooms provide a place for friends and relatives to have extended stays.

Outside, the pool and spa provide a place to lounge under the shade of evergreens and indulge in the privacy provided by high walls, landscaped shrubs and the home's placement on the sizable lot.

In those times when the home isn't teeming with guests, the spacious layout offers privacy to those who seek it, Brill said.

Built-in speakers pump sound into the rooms to create a lively setting or soothing ambience, especially in the executive office, which sits beside a home gym and includes its own bar.

Now that the children no longer live with them, Brill said the owners are looking to sell because the space has outgrown them.

"They're very attached to this house, and they've taken great care of it," he said. "Whoever gets it will be very lucky."